Instruction Manual Meade 70AZ-ADS 70mm (2.8”) Altazimuth Refracting Telescope (800) 626-3233 www.meade.
WARNING: NEVER USE A MEADE TELESCOPE TO LOOK AT THE SUN! LOOKING AT OR NEAR THE SUN WILL CAUSE INSTANT AND IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO YOUR EYE. EYE DAMAGE IS OFTEN PAINLESS, SO THERE IS NO WARNING TO THE OBSERVER THAT DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. DO NOT POINT THE TELESCOPE OR ITS VIEWFINDER AT OR NEAR THE SUN. DO NOT LOOK THROUGH THE TELESCOPE OR ITS VIEWFINDER AS IT IS MOVING. CHILDREN SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE ADULT SUPERVISION WHILE OBSERVING.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Standard Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Unpacking and Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 8 x 21 Viewfinder Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Using the Telescope . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9 8 7 6 5 3 10 1 11 2 25 4 12 15 14 13 D 16 17 C 18 19 A 11 24 20 B 20 18 21 23 22 13 19 Figure 1: Meade 70AZ-ADR Altazimuth Refracting Telescope Inset A: Tripod Leg; Inset B: Accessory Tray C: Saddle Plate Slot; D: Tripod Wingnut 1. Eyepiece/thumbscrew 2. 45° erect image diagonal mirror 3. Focuser drawtube and thumbscrews 4. Focusing knob 5. Viewfinder and bracket 6. Viewfinder collimation screws 7. Optical tube 8. Objective lens cell 9. Dew shield/lens shade 10.
INTRODUCTION Before you begin, we urge you to take a few minutes to completely read this manual so that you can get the best use of the equipment. This manual details the set-up, operation, specifications and optional accessories of the Meade 70AZ-ADS altazimuth refracting telescope. Designed for both astronomical and terrestrial observing, the Meade 70AZ-ADS will be your companion in exploring a universe of celestial and earthly objects.
1. Loosen the horizontal and vertical locks of your telescope, so that the telescope can move freely. 2. If you have not already done so, place a low-power (SP 26mm) eyepiece in the eyepiece holder or diagonal prism of your telescope. Point the telescope at an easy-to-sight land object (e.g., the top of a telephone pole or sign). Turn the focuser knob to focus sharply the image in the eyepiece. Precisely center the object in the eyepiece. 3.
Nine planets (maybe more!) travel in a fairly circular pattern around our Sun. Any system of planets orbiting one or more stars is called a solar system. Our Sun, by the way, is a single, yellow dwarf star. It is average as far as stars go and is a middle aged star. Beyond the planets are clouds of comets, icy planetoids and other debris left over from the birth of our sun. Recently astronomers have found large objects in this area and they may increase the number of planets in our solar system.
Almost all the stars you can see in the sky are part of our galaxy. A galaxy is a large grouping of stars, containing millions or even billions of stars. Some galaxies form a spiral (like our galaxy, the Milky Way) and other galaxies look more like a large football and are called elliptical galaxies. There are many galaxies that are irregularly shaped and are thought to have been pulled apart because they passed too close to—or even through—a larger galaxy.
cause image movement. Let your eyes “dark-adapt”: Allow five or ten minutes for your eyes to become “dark adapted” before observing. Use a red-filtered flashlight to protect your night vision when reading star maps, or inspecting the telescope. Do not use use a regular flash-light or turn on other lights when observing with a group of other astronomers. You can make your own red filtered flashlight by taping red cellophane over a flashlight lens.
USE THE SPECIFICATIONS TO CALCULATE THE MAGNIFICATION OF YOUR EYEPIECE The power of a telescope is how much it magnifies objects. Your 26mm eyepiece magnifies an object 13 times. Your 9mm eyepiece magnifies objects 36 times. But if you obtain other eyepieces, you can calculate how much magnification they have with your telescope. Just divide the focal length of the telescope by the focal length of the eyepiece.
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(800) 626-3233 www.meade.
